The Light at the End of the Tunnel
by Eli Jacobs
Summary: Ryan Richards is a typical unpopular teenager in his Sophmore year. But when he is assigned detention and meets Chase Anderson, high school jock and Athlete of the Week with straight A's, they are both sent for a ride in this tale of love and devotion.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

(there's a first page here, if my friend will ever give it back to me.)

"Uh, nothing that I know of. Probably just some homework." I replied sheepishly.

"Oh, do you need a ride home?" Wow.

"Uh, sure."

"Gentlemen," Vargez interrupted. "Talk again you'll be spending the next few days here with me." It was Friday, and she wasn't kidding. If she wanted, she could make us come on Saturday and Monday. She could keep us there fore the rest of our lives. Luckily the situation wasn't that bad. But, this kid just asked me if I wanted a ride. I had a much larger issue to deal with than Mrs. Vargez's issue with us talking. I mouthed a _Thank You_ to him. And he winked at me. Chase Anderson actually winked at me! Oh my God! I was going to die.

"Sorry," we said in unison.

Thirty more minutes of torturous detention with "Vargie," as we liked to call her and the thoughts in my mind raced like a pack of Buffalo in the wild. When the bell rang, I jumped like sugar plums on steroids because I was dozing off.

"It's just the bell, dude," Chase said to me… to me!

"I know," I replied apologetically. I went to my locker, rolled the combination and it popped open. Rummaging through my books and my thoughts at the same time, a pair of smaller feel walked up behind me. I looked up a little and I was staring into the crotch… of Chase Anderson. Beautiful. Awkward; but beautiful. All of that blond hair on his head, his thin, boney face, those true blue eyes.

"You got to be anywhere special," he asked.

"No," I replied.

"You like role playing?" Wh-wh-what?! Did he just ask me if I liked role playing? I've never had a straight guy ask me that.

"Sorry?"

"Role playing games." Oh, video game wise.

"Oh, yeah, sure, why?"

"I got this new game that I want to try out; thought maybe you might want to come over for a little while."

Wow, that was pretty blunt for someone I just met. "Not for anything, Chase, we've never hung out in our lives, never even spoken to each other. Why now," I asked.

"Well, I mean, I've seen you around before, I've noticed you. And I'm always looking for new friends." So I figured what the hell? You know?

"Yeah, sure. Alright if it's okay, I'd like to work on my homework a little."

"Yeah, sure," he reassured. We walked out of the school and got into his car. He was a junior and already had his license. He drove a Volvo V-70, my dream car. This was absolutely perfect, any who, the trip to his house was only about five minutes.

His house was a nice and average house. Nice white sided house with a pleasant brown roof. Nice little lawn out front, very green. The door was a nice blue, too, not quite the true color of his eyes.

"Here we are," he said.

"Nice house," I replied. I grabbed my math books and followed him inside. The inside of the house was very pleasant. Not laden with marble or anything like that, like I had expected. It was very contemporary and melodic; two floors.

He brought me up to his room, where his Sony Play Station was. His room was an absolute mess, like mine. I LOVE IT! It's quite difficult to see what color the floor is in my room. He got the game out from under his bed and loaded it into the Play Station. The console kicked on and he began to play without saying a word. I sat on the bed with my math notebook on my lap. Although it's kind of hard to do math homework you've got this hot hunk of lean meat sitting if front of you, playing a Play Station game like no one's business.

Alas, a question on the homework I didn't understand. I thought maybe he might understand what was going on. "Hey Chase," I said, "Do you get math at all?"

"Yeah, a little, why?"

"I need help with the problem. I have to factor f(_x_) _x_2 -2_x_ -2…"

"Oh, I LOVE this stuff," he paused the game than sat next to me on the opposite side of the bed. He pointed at me, "Okay, so, here's moron, so this equation…" I smacked him, he hit me back.

I punched him, "Asshole." He decided to jump on top of me and hold my hands down. He opted to stop the rough housing; we were still laughing, and sat down on me. Immediately, he sprung back up…

"DUDE," he exclaimed. A shroud of embarrassment came over me. I could feel the chunks rising in my throat. I was going to be sick; I was hard as a rock. My dick was a British soldier on high alert and Chase Anderson was sitting on him. What the fuck, mate?

I tried my hardest to push him off of me, pushing on his chest. Either I wasn't strong enough, or I was fighting a losing battle. He looked at me, with a content and satisfied look on his face. He was absolutely beautiful. Those eyes just pierced right through me. He leaned into me, my heart pounding. I've never done this with another guy before. I've never done this with _anyone_ before, much less a guy. He came a little closer. Thoughts raced through my mind. Is this okay to be doing with a guy I just met? Is it okay to be doing it at all? But I wasn't about to stop him. All this time I was imagining kissing him, not it was actually happening.

He laid his soft sweet lips gently on mine. He kissed me slowly… Chase Anderson, letterman jock, athlete of the week, straight "A's", number three in the class Chase Anderson was gay, and he was kissing me. Oh, fuck that, he had an interest in me! That was enough for me. He tasted like a mix of sweet vanilla and mint. His lips were soft and gentle. He gently slipped his tongue into my mouth; I freaked out and with all my might, pushed him off. "I can't handle that!"

"I'm sorry," he said, sounding genuine and angelic. "I just thought… I'm sorry." His face turned beat red. I felt like such an asshole. It was something I wanted more than anything in the world, and I freaked.

"Don't be," I said, "It's not you, it'; it's me." Was I a fool, or what? Don't answer that. How could I just let this slip through my…

I went for him. I jumped on top of him and laden him with all the kisses I could. Jumping like a tiger on its prey. I totally had him in my grasp. I slipped my tongue in his mouth; I had no idea what I was doing. I kind of was imitating what I saw on the porn that I downloaded late at night. You know, when my parents went to bed. Getting back to the issue on… no, in my hands. He tasted like vanilla and mint again, and the feeling was absolutely amazing. I could feel a swelling in my groin. I got so hard it began to hurt. I crawled on top of him and continued to kiss his sweet soft lips.

Chase began to reach under my shirt and massage my nipple. Now that was amazing. I had to take my shirt off, so I did. He kept massaging. I started to kiss his neck and the moans that came out of this boy's mouth got me even harder. A door slammed!

I quickly attempted to don my shirt and he went back to his game. The footsteps creped up the stairs, and, oh, no, my shirt got stuck! Shit! The door opened.

"Hi Chase," his mother said. Thank God I finally got my shirt on.

"Hey, Mom, this is Ryan," he pointed to me, "Ryan this is my mom." She could see something up going on. This lady wasn't stupid, I could tell. I would say she was about early forties, beautiful bold hair with dark low lights and eyes, royal blue eyes that went right through you. She was tall and thin and very much in shape; every lesbian's dream.

"Hi Ryan, nice to meet you," she said.

I extended my hand, "How do you do?"

"Fine thanks," she was very poised. "Dinner's at six, C.B." C.B.? Who the fuck is C.B.?

"Fine with me," he was still playing his game.

"Cool. Uh, nice to meet you Ryan, and I'll see you guys soon," and with the she left and went downstairs.

"I really should go, I have homework to do," I said as I got my things together. I was nervous and embarrassed and angry all at the same time. Feelings I never felt for anyone before. At least none like these. Why now? Now is not when I needed this.

"Are you sure, you can stay for Dinner…" he stopped me.

"Yeah," I replied, "my mother is probably worried about me."

"Alright, I guess I'll see you tomorrow." I winked at him; he winked back! I left the house saying goodbye to Mrs. Anderson, trying to be respectful; as my mother always taught me, she smiled politely at me.

That night, I was sitting in my bed, hunched over Chemistry equations. But I would get no work done. I couldn't stop thinking about what had happened today. The look on his face, the way he smiled at me, or kissed me. Anyway, needless to say, I didn't get much sleep that night, either.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Monday at school, I walked into my math class and Tine Whitney was there, my best friend in the entire world. She really was beautiful, long dark brown hair, beautiful hazel eyes, and Middle Eastern tanned skin. She was tall, a little taller than my five foot four inch frame.

"Hey slut," she greeted me, jokingly.

"Hey douche bag," I replied. "What's up?"

"Nothing, that homework assignment last night killed me!"

"Oh My God, I know…" Gay moment for Ryan!

"You're looking unusually happy today, did you get your dick sucked or something?" I blushed. I could feel my face turning beat red.

"No, good grade on the chemistry quiz." A total lie, kind of. Maybe I didn't get my dick sucked, but I would have if Mrs. Anderson hadn't walked in; that bitch. I'm kidding. I liked her. In the very short time I was there at the house she was nice to me.

The bell rang at the end of Math and I walked to my next class with Tina. She and I grew up together. My mother and her mother worked together long before either of us were born. They were friends ever since, and so were we. We mostly talked about classes and show we thought was hot, oh yeah, she knew I was gay. She's the only one I told. And, for now, I wanted to keep it that way.

And there he was, walking the opposite way. I looked at him, he smiled at me. I loved his smile. Just about from ear to ear and full of white pearly teeth. And his soft lips made the smile even better. My next class was chemistry. Two periods of Mr. Langkaster; a tall, fat, Russian, can-barly-speak-english teacher with buck teeth large glasses, a short lived platinum white hair style and a personality that says "I have an I.Q. the size of my penis." Tina was in my class but she was also my lab partner, and today was a lob day. Easy lab; light reflection of chemicals. Pretty much make different chemicals react with oxygen and watch the color of the light that was omitted.

Apparently, Chase worked for the main office this period because he came in with a pass for someone… and a note for me. While Mr. Langkaster was busy trying to figure out whose name was on the pass (thankfully no one in the office had legible hand writing), Chase chucked a folded piece of paper at me and mouthed "Read it" to me.

"Anthony Gwarza, the Vice Principal needs you, sir," he said in his broken English. Anthony got up, head down, because the Vice Principal was generally the disciplinarian of the school. He took the pass from Langkaster and as he left the room our generous classmates oh-ed and hissed at him, followed by a few tsk-s and Chase who looked back at me and winked. Tina saw the note pass… no toss, but that God she didn't see the wink. I love Tina to death, I really do, but the only problem is she has a huge ginormous mouth in some cases. If I was to have told her that Chase Anderson, big popular jock; and me, Ryan Richards, quiet dorky scrawny little shit almost fucked out teenage brains out on Friday, the world would know by lunch bell because it would be on the world wide news. I had to threaten our friendship if she ever told anyone I was gay.

I opened the note slowly as not to disturbed Tina from her work. I read, "So, so, so sorry about Friday. I want to talk to you. Boys bathroom, fourth floor, ten minutes, meet me, Chase," um, okay. There was only one boy's bathroom on the fourth floor and most of the time that wing was vacant because there were only three classes there and they were both very small. I finished the last question on the lab sheet and raised my hand.

"Yes, Ryan," Langkaster bellowed.

"Can I go to the bathroom, please, sir," I asked.

Sounds like, "Emergency?" I felt like I was playing a game of English charades.

"Yes!"

"Alright, take the pass," he groaned. I took the pass and walked out of the room.

A few minutes later I was waiting in the boy's room on the fourth floor. The wait was only two minutes that seemed like forever. Suddenly, the door opened. In stepped my angel, blonde hair, blue eyes, and all. The door closed behind him, and he locked it. _Oh my God_, I thought. He grabbed the back of my head and shoved his tongue in my mouth. His lips were so soft and angelic; I kissed back. Unlocking lips, I smiled. I couldn't help it. He was so beautiful and… I digress. I could go on for days about his looks.

"Hey," he said with his face still close to mine. The warmth of his body felt so good.

"Hey," I replied, the smile still on my face. "You said you needed to talk to me?"

"Yeah, I wanted to apologize for yesterday. My mom comes in sometimes unannounced."

"There are so many worse things in life. Thank God she didn't catch us.'

"I know."

"This is… strange, I'm not going to lie."

"Why," he asked, chuckling.

"Chase Anderson, high school popular jock is gay. How would have thought? HA," I laughed.

"Hey, I never suspected you either."

"But, I mean, you've got girls hanging all over you and you've had so many girlfriends. I just don't get it." He looked shocked at my statement.

"I've never had a girlfriend!"

"But, people around school say…"

He cut me off, "I just let them believe what the want to believe, easier on me."

"Is there anyone who does know?"

"My parents," the look of horror came over my face. This just keeps getting better and better. My mother doesn't even know and she can't, not yet at least.

"So, wait," I began, "your mother saw me on your bed Friday, what did she say when I left?"

He had a nonchalant look on his face, "She threw a box of Trojan condoms at me and told me to be careful."

"Are you serious," this was all unfamiliar to me.

"Swear to GOD."

"That's pretty funny. I can't even imagine my mother doing that for me." He grabbed my waist and pulled me in. his body was so warm. Again he laid his tender lips on mine. Some how this kiss sent shivers through my body; I could feel my nipples becoming erect. As the goose bumps set in, I could feel swelling in my groin, my heart raced. My stomach was doing back flips; I could feel my pulse in my dick as it pushed against my pants. I wanted nothing more than for him to bend me over and fuck me right there… a bang on the door!

We stopped and tried not to make noise. The door banged again! My heart started to pound, Chase pulled me closer, he must have seen the fear on my face, and I rested my head on his chest. He smelled of lavender today; lavender and…Cucumber Melon hair shampoo; Herbal Essences, two ninety five sale last week at the supermarket. The clattering continued for a few more minutes than stopped.

That was close! We can't take chances like that. "Wow, that was close," he said. I could see the worry in his eyes. "You okay?"

"Yeah," I replied trembling."

"Let's go, you leave first, I'll wait than leave." I nodded okay. I turned to leave and he pulled my arm, "Wait!"

"Chase the bell is going to ring, what," I said, nearly whining.

"Hey, you're not allowed to whine to me, yet, you're not my wife," he smile. "What are you doing tonight?"

"Oh, I don't know, probably just some homework. I have a piano lesson right after school today, why?"

"Want to do some homework at my house tonight?"

"Chase," I began, "we don't have any classes together."

"Yes we do," he reminded me, "we have Drama together." One of the most boring classes I had this year taught by Mrs. Bankmen, a middle aged tall skinny woman who's had one thousand and three too many facelifts and is dryer than burned toast. Although, I have to admit, I felt kind of stupid, I had no idea he was in my class.

"Really," I asked.

"Yeah, you just never took the time to notice," he laughed.

"Funny, I thought Drama was supposed to be fun," I said, he punched my arm lightly.

"So tonight, my house? After your lesson?"

I thought for a moment, looking at him, taking in every inch of his beautiful face and letting be sensuous aroma fill my entire being, "Sure." He gave me a piece of paper with a number on it.

"That's my cell number; call me when you're on your way."

"Can you come get me," I asked with my best puppy face on.

"Sure I can, baby boy," my heart sank. He kissed my forehead than my lips, and I left.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

The rest of the day seemed to drag. I couldn't wait to see him that night. Every time I thought about what might happen, I smiled. Although, I assumed we'd talk mostly. After school I went up to the music school for my piano lessons and I learned about Key Signatures. My lesson was an hour and a half, and I swear it was the longest hour and a half of my entire life.

At the end of the lesson, I dialed the number on the piece of paper on my cell phone. The phone rang, and rang and I waited. Someone picked up, but…

"Hello," the voice said. The voice was masculine and it defiantly wasn't Chase.

"Hi who's this," I asked in a pleasant voice.

"Who's this, you're calling me?"

"Uh, this is Ryan. Is Chase there?"

"Oh," he exclaimed, almost excited to hear my voice, "_The_ Ryan?"

"Um, yeah, Ryan Richards."

"Oh wow, yeah, he's here. Hang on," he passed the phone over. I heard Chase yell "Douche Bag!" in the background, than he laughed.

"Ha, Ha, hello," he said in the most angelic and entertained voice, if you can wrap your mind around that idea.

"Hey you," I replied.

"You ready… Ow! You asshole." He was talking to his brother.

"Ha! Yeah."

"The school on Ridgmount, right?"

"Yeah."

"I'll be there in five."

"Otay," I said, trying to be cute.

"You're so cute," and he hung up. I waited five whole minutes, again, that seemed like an entire lifetime. But, non-the-less, five minutes. Than this silver Volvo V-70 luxury sport station wagon pulled up and honked. The entire car ride to his house he explained that his brother, Davious, answered the phone and that he was home from college. He went to Columbia University for Business Education and was enrolled in the Doctorate program which was a two year program and required a two hundred page book in essay form. I reacted with a big WOW! I can barely write a five paragraph essay, much less two hundred pages. I called my mother to tell her what was going on, the conversation was short because she was busy. She owns her own business.

We rolled up in front of his house, he pared and we walked into his house. His brother greeted me, "Hey, I'm Davious; just call me Dave, everyone else does." Dave was Very, very attractive, mostly likely because he and his younger brother looked so alike it was uncanny. And it's very obvious I'm attracted to Chase. We sat down stairs and talked for a little while. I was amazed to find out that Dave was the first person that Chase came out to. His mother was the second and it kind of trickled down from there. He elaborated on his essay book that he had to write for his Ph. D. He had to elaborate on business in the minds of our young people.

I asked where their parents were and they said they had on vacation in the Hampton's for a week. SCORE! So, that meant the house was all theirs until next Monday!

After we were done talking, and drinking out Pepsi's, Chase took my hand and the books that didn't fit in my bag, and guided me upstairs. What a gentleman! I ogled as every muscle showed because he had to flex to pick up my heavy books. Every curve of every muscle sent electric shocks to my groin. When we got into the room, I set my things down and stood there. He put my books on his desk and walked over to me, grabbed me around my hips and pulled me into him. Again, I say, the warmth of his body was soothing. But, the real physical stuff would have to wait, right now. At the minute, Drama was president. We had to answer some questions about _The Death of a Salesman_. Sitting at the desk, we tried to make it as fun as humanly possible. We did a lot of joking, making fun of Willie Lowman and how he closely resembles my father, which I don't think is a good thing, but we found it funny. He threw some paper at me that he wadded up and I threw it back followed by, "You bitch." He was really bad at flirting.

The questions didn't take nearly as long as we thought they would. He put the paper away, as did I, and went to lie on the bed. He opened his arms and motioned for me to get onto the bed with him. I put my books away and walked over to the bed. With one knee on the bed, he sat up, grabbed me, and laid me on the bed; I chuckled. He looked into my eyes and I looked into his. I could get lost in his eyes. They were so deep blue; one could travel through them and see the entire story of their lives.

He kissed me. It played out like a silent movie in slow motion. He kissed me again. The taste was sweet like a mix of Pepsi and chocolate, probably because that's what we had sitting and talking downstairs. He wrapped the other arm around me and hugged me as he kept kissing me so tenderly. I accepted his tongue with great anticipation. Suddenly, I felt cold on my stomach. Than I realized that his hand was rubbing my stomach. The feeling was like nothing I can describe. I slipped my hand under his shirt and rubbed his back as I slid _my_ tongue in and out of his mouth. Light moans were audible as I did so. His cold fingers grazed my erect nipples as he began to massage my chest. I flipped him over and got on top of him. With my hand still up his shirt, I followed his actions and began to explore the well defined muscles that were his chest. I felt nothing but bare skin; not an ounce of hair on it, or fat.

My fingers gently trickled over the ripples of his tight six pack ab stomach. There was a light dusting of hair just below his navel that led all the way down to the area that dare not speak its name. I was going to take liberties though. I was scared shitless. This was the first time I had ever been with a guy or anyone for that matter. My heart was racing because I didn't know what it felt like to be with someone, emotionally or physically. Judging by the way Chase handled me, gently and with dare, that it, I assumed he had done this before.

The mists of my thoughts were broken when I felt something cold reaching down my pants. Whoa! I grabbed his hand, "Stop."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

"I'm sorry," he said, apologetically. He couldn't have look more innocent, but I knew better. I knew he wasn't innocent at all.

"It's okay, just unexpected," my breathing was labored. "I don't know if I'm ready, Chase."

"Okay," he said, the look of disappointment clouded his face. I was positive he had done this before.

"It's not you, believe me, it's not you. It's just, this is my first time."

He looked back at me, took a deep breathe and, "Mine too. Wh-wh-what?! My eyes grew wise. I was in total disbelief.

I had to laugh at that, "Yeah right. You're such a liar!" he turned away and buried his face in his hands. I heard the sound of sobs.

"Chase, I'm sorry," I said. I felt like an idiot, although I wasn't sure what for. I wasn't sure of what I said that was so wrong. "I'm so sorry. I just assumed that you had done that before."

"No," he said, "that's not it."

"Than, what's the matter?"

He started, "Two years ago, at summer camp one night, some of the guys and I were playing a game of poker. When everyone got tired, most of us went to bed. I stayed up because I couldn't sleep. All of a sudden, I was laying in my bunk, I hade the top one, this kid, Danny Edleman, who was a year older than me, popped his head up. 'Hey, Anderson, you awake?' I said, 'Yeah.' 'I got some beet. Want to drink a little?' Being a teenager who was new to drinking I said 'Hell yeah.'" Tears began to form in his eyes as he looked up at me. I put my arm around him, and his hand with one hand and caressed his hair with my other.

He continued, "So we snuck out the front door with the six pack of beer and still in our pajamas. We were sitting by the lake; it must have been at least two thirty or three in the morning. We had already finished two cans each; he was starting on his third when he asked me if I jerked off. I told him yes, because I did; and than he asked if I've ever seen another guy naked before, and I told him no because I hadn't; than he asked me if I wanted to and out of curiosity I said, 'Sure, why not?' he put the beer down, got up, and took one piece of clothing off at a time. Finally the underwear came off." He laughed, "I can't tell you how hard I got.

"Than he laid back down and grabbed his beer. He asked me if I wanted to touch it. I was scared, but I was more scared of not making friends so I went for it. But it was too much for me to handle. I touched it once and freaked; I don't think I've ever run faster in my life. We spoke to each other a few times during the month that we were there. Than camp ended and we lost touch, pardon the pun; never heard from him again."

I didn't know what to say, I was at a loss for words. All I could come up with was, "Well, at least you've seen on in person other than your own, I can't even say that." What an idiot I was! He put his head in his hands and started to sob again. I could feel the chunks rise higher and higher in my throat. "I'm sorry," I said finally.

"It's okay, I just, I don't know why it upsets me but it does. I guess," he picked up his head and the tears ran down his beautiful face, this time he really did look one hundred percent innocent, "I guess I just regret not staying and going further with him. You know?"

"Chase," I said, "there are worse things than not touching a penis."

"But if I had, than we wouldn't have this problem," he said still sobbing.

I took my shirt off and wiped his face gently and compassionately, "I'm happy we have this problem."

"Why? I feel so embarrassed."

"Well, because that means I have you pure; you and only you; no one else to share you with. Get it?"

"Yeah."

"It also means that you trust me enough, which I'm grateful for," I kissed him. I began to second guess my unready-ness to let him touch me. I lightly touched his cheek and pulled him on top of me, I kissed him again. I continued to kiss him as I undid the zipper on my pants. Than I took his hand and slid it down my stomach to my groin; he jolted.

"Are you sure," he asked me.

"Yes, I'm sure," I replied, looking into the blue oceans that were his eyes. And he reached into my pants.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

"Well, is that all the thanks I get for a night of hot sex," Chase said to me walking into lunch the next day.

"That would be good if I had sex with you," I replied with pride and sarcasm.

"Well, alright, I withdraw and rephrase, is that all the thanks I get for feeling you up, or down rather?" I punched his arm and a smile came over me.

"Ha, ha, ha, you think you're funny." He looked around a few times than laid a kiss on me. We didn't have sex, nor did we ever jerk each other off. We just kind of felt each other out and kissed and cuddled. We also half watched a movie, uh, Get Real, I think. Great movie, what I saw of it. The night ended in us saying "We really have to get up and get me home" for like an hour. The fact is I didn't want to go home at all; I wanted to just lie there with him for ever and ever.

But than reality hit, and Tuesday came along. Nothing really happened that week worth talking about. He and I went out for lunch on Wednesday to a pizzeria in town, that's really about it. The real action started happening of Friday.

"Hey you," he said to me about fifth period, there were six in the day, minus lunch.

"Hey, what's up," I replied.

"Oh nothing, are you doing anything in particular this weekend?"

"No, not that I know of; why what's up?"

My parents aren't going to be back until Tuesday and Dave is spending Friday and Saturday night at his girlfriend's house."

"Yeah, and…," I said. I knew what he was getting at but I wanted to hear him say it.

"Would you like to spend the weekend with me, right through to Monday? We can drive in together on Monday."

"I would love to," I said, "I just need to check with my mother."

"You playing hard to get," he said as he walked off and winked at me. God I love his eyes!

When school was over at two o'clock, I walked outside and called my mother. I dialed the number on my cell phone and waited for someone to pick up.

"Side Step Dance and Theatre Academy; Ellen Richards speaking," she said when she picked up the phone.

"Hey, mommy," I said, trying to sound sweet.

"Hey, kiddo, what's up? How was your day?"

"Pretty good actually; and yours?"

"Not bad. We signed up two new guys today. How did you do on that Chemistry test?"

"Eighty eight."

"There are worse things in life."

"Yeah, I guess," I was an over achiever, I studied all night for that test, "Hey, I have a small request."

"How much do you want," she said, being the mother that I know and love.

"No, no money. I actually wanted to ask you if I could spend the weekend at my friend Chase's house; he lives on Dudeck Road."

"Across town?"

"Yeah."

"Are his parent's going to be home."

"His brother will be he's twenty four," a half lie. Dave wasn't going to be home but he _was_ twenty four.

"Fine by me. How long will you be there?"

"Through Monday. He's going to drive us in on Monday morning, he drives."

"What kind of car?"

"Volvo V-70."

"Expensive. Alright than. Keep in touch please."

"Will do. Love you, Ma!"

"Bye sweetheart," she said and hung up. I caught him coming out of the school fumbling over his keys and I jumped on his back and snuck in a kiss on his ear.

"Oh, hey you," he said when he realized it was me.

"Guess where I'm staying this weekend."

"In Donald Trumps bed?"

I laughed, "No, asshole, you're bed."

"YES," he exclaimed as he jumped up in the air.

"I just need one thing from you."

"What's that," he asked.

"A signed statement saying you're not going to fuck me too hard," I replied with a lick of my lips.

He sucked on his teeth and said, "I don't know if I can do that. I'd be lying." We both laughed really hard.

"I just need you to take me to my house to I can get my clothes together."

"Oh, finally, I get to see where you live."

"Applemeyer Street. One forty eight."

"Cool, hop in." So I did. We got to my house and got my things together. I wasn't in a huge hurry because we had the entire day; it was only two forty five in the afternoon. He liked my house, said it was very pretty; all three floors. I lived in a three story Victorian house that was built in eighteen fifty and remodeled and updated just three years ago. I showed him around. The foyer was black and white marble floor with two wooded closets to the right and left. Our living room wasn't big by any means, just a normal sized living room.

When we were done at my house we back into his car and went to his house so I could drop off my things. He helped me carry in my bags. I only had two, but he insisted. The nice thing about this time of year is its still camping weather, so we planned on camping out in his backyard tonight.

For now, we were going to go catch a movie. There was a new movie playing in town that everyone was dying to see, The Da Vinci Code. Supposedly it stared Tom Hanks as Professor Robert Langdon. I was intrigued to see what they did with the movie seeing as I read the book three times.

The movie started at six so we had four hours to kill, he decided he wanted to take me to a late lunch. We opted to go to T.G.I. Friday's on the highway just on the way to the movie theater. It was the best lunch I've ever had in my life. I had the Jack Daniel's Ribs and Shrimp, Chase had the Kung Po Jalapeno Boneless Chicken Wings; side of fries. After our late lunch we made our way to the movie theater bought our tickets, which were seven dollars and fifty cents, by the way; what a fucking rip off. In my mother's day, movies were… well, they weren't really popular; but that's beside the point.

The movie theater was packed. I had no idea there were so many Dan Brown fans. I also hear rumor they were making an Angels & Demons movie, too. Oh my God, I'm so excited. Anyway, the movie was about two and a half hours and he was insistent on holding my hand. Not that I minded, I just thought people would have looked at us sideways; you know, two guys holding hands in public and all. He actually didn't hold my hand until we were in the theater and the movie started, so he was more discrete than I thought he would have been.

After the movie, which was fucking amazing, I love Tom Hanks; we went to a local parking lot and parked for a little while; and no, not in the traditional sense of the word. No, instead we parked on the top level of the parking garage of the local mall and lay on top of his hood, looking at the stars.

13


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

The top of the hood was warm for a little while, than it started to get a little cooler. We were in late September early October so the weather was on the warmer side during the day and on the cooler side at night. It was about six thirty at night, and it started to get very chilly outside. We were talking, mostly about school and who we thought was cute, usually followed with "but I think you're cuter."

I started to shiver after a while, and he noticed because the hood was shaking as I did. There was literally no one around, only a few cars left in the garage. "Hang on," Chase said as he got off the hood.

"Where are you going," I asked, thinking he was going to leave me there. He opened the car and pulled out his New York University sweater which was five sixes too big. He got back on top of the hood and laid the sweater over me, after, which he proceeded to hug me and breathe on the back of my neck; I was in absolute heaven.

His breathe was so warm, and comforting; I could have stayed there all day. I wanted to. And the feeling of him holding me just made me feel more safe and secure than anything I've ever felt; even more secure than my blankey as a toddler, which I don't have anymore, I swear!

We started to get bored after a while, and than he started to shiver, so we decided to go home. On the way home we talked about the movie and what we wanted to do when we actually got home, it was about nine o'clock already.

"To be perfectly honest, Chase," I said, "I kind of just want to go to sleep."

"Fine by me," he said. Than we promised each other that we'd sleep clothed because neither of us were ready for that, although I really wanted to sleep naked with him. I wasn't even sure I could call him my boyfriend, yet. How does that even work? I know that you go on a few dates, but when do you start to refer to each other as "my boyfriend?" I had assumed one would just know, but I wasn't too sure.

Anyway, we got back to his house and he pulled in the drive way. When we actually got in the house, we opted to have a late night snack; he opened the fridge and looked through it.

"So how's psychology going," I asked.

"Pretty good," he replied, "I was diagnosed as utterly fuckin' insane the other day."

"Well, I wouldn't be attracted to you if you weren't."

"Very funny; how's your math class going?"

"Boring, I hate that class. The woman is so fucking boring, it's not even funny."

"Yes it is," he replied with a smirk on his face. I got up off of the bar stool, walked over to him and kissed him; I had to. He looked so angelic in the light of the kitchen.

"What was that for," he asked.

"You're adorable," I said, looking into his eyes. He pulled out some lunch meats and bread and he munched on that for a little while, talking about nothing really important. He mentioned something about Brittany Spears and Kevin Feder-lame, and I mentioned how I hated them both, he got a good laugh out of that. The phone rang.

"Hello," he picked up the phone. "Yes.—Oh my God, I'm so sorry to hear that!—Yes, I do, when is it?—Okay, thank you, I'll defiantly be there.—Okay, have a nice day," and he hung up.

"What happened," I asked, concerned.

"My best friend's grandfather passed away this afternoon."

"Oh I'm so sorry to hear that. Was he old?"

"About eighty."

"Well, he lived a full life."

"Well, yeah, but I just saw him a day ago at his house; he was fine, he was up playing with the grandkids."

"It happens suddenly sometimes; nothing anyone can do about it." My phone rings; it's my mother, "Hello?—what's up, Mom?—Yeah, I remember him. What about him?—Oh really," my face when white, "Uh huh.—Okay, I'll get myself there. Thanks.—Love you, too.—Goodnight," I hung up.

"What's with the look," Chase asked me.

"This man that passed away, what was his name?"

"Zarcone, Tony Zarcone. Why?"

"I guess I'll be accompanying you to the funeral home on Sunday."

"Where the fuck do you know him from," Chase asked.

"I grew up with his granddaughter, and his son grew up with my father, they were best friends. Where do _you_ know him from?"

"_I_ grew up with Stacey, his daughter's daughter."

"Wow, small fuckin' world."

"You ain't shittin'." After that we went upstairs and got into our pajamas. He changed in his room and I changed in the bathroom down the hall; that seemed the appropriate thing to do. When I came back, Chase was laying on the bed, on top of the covers, watching the late night news. I put my clothes next to my stuff on the floor and slid into the bed next to him.

I laid back in the bed and asked, "Anything positive happening in the world?"

"Do you need to ask," he replied, which meant no, there wasn't. "Our world today is so fucked up, it's not even funny."

"I agree," I said, "sometimes I just wish I could crawl up into a little ball and live there for the rest of my life. At least nothing at all happens in there." I thought about it for a minute, "Well, maybe not, that could get boring after a little while."

"Yeah, wouldn't want to see that happen." After a while we got tired, and decided to go to sleep. Chase turned the television off kissed me passionately and said goodnight. He rolled over and I just laid there watching him fall asleep. He looked so peaceful laying there, his chest going up and down rhythmically. I thought about things and how fast they were going. I thought maybe it was a bad thing at first, but than I reminded myself that it was happening this way because it was meant to happen that way.

I must have gotten lost in thought and fallen asleep because I woke up; it must have been about four in the morning and Chase was turned facing me. He looked so peaceful in his position I wanted to kiss him and hold him close to me. I didn't want to wake him up though, so I thought better of it. Again I began to think that we were going to fast for our own good, but I quickly let those thoughts escape my mind, I needed sleep. I feel back asleep about four thirty.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

I woke up again about eight forty five in the morning, the only problem was, I was alone. Chase was no were to be found. When I got out of the bed, I looked in his bathroom, but he wasn't in there. Suddenly the smell of pancakes and waffles and eggs filled the second story air so I went down to the kitchen to investigate. There he was, all five foot eight inches of him, his skin was a golden tan, so luscious; and the best of it all was, he was totally in his boxers, nothing more!

He was standing over the stovetop, cooking in the pan. "I didn't know you could cook," I said, kind of shocked. I would have thought that a jock like him would have mommy do everything for him.

"Yup, a well-rounded man," he said with a smile on his face, ear to ear, full of white pearly teeth. He stepped away and laid a smooch on my lips; not passionate like last night's goodnight kiss, but just a quick hello peck on the lips.

I sat at the kitchen table with a tired look on my face. "Coffee," Chase asked me.

"Yes, please," I answered with pleading in my voice, like I needed it to survive. I never drank much coffee but if I did have coffee it was usually in the morning or after lunch. He put the coffee in front of me along with sugar and milk. I loaded the coffee with sugar and only a little milk. I didn't like milk very much because it always gave me phlegm, and I hated that feeling; coughing it up all day. We ate breakfast, which was very pleasant, he said he made them from scratch and I believed him, you don't get quality like this from a box.

Suddenly, the phone rang. "Hello," he said as he picked up. "Hey mom. —Oh, nothing, I have Ryan over. – Yes mom. – We're not doing anything, mom, don't worry. – Yeah. – Alright." And the conversation went on like that for a few minutes, than they said their goodbyes and hung up. "She says hello." I smiled. "So what do you want to do today? I thought maybe we'd go horseback riding; there's a nice little ranch a few miles from here. We go all the time."

"Uh, I've never been," I replied.

"You've never been horse back riding?"

"Nope."

"Well, that's going to change today. I think you'll really like this place."

"Alright," I said as I finished my wonderful breakfast. After breakfast we took our separate showers and got dressed. Before I knew it, we were heading west on I-80 to the Well Mane Ranch in Foetsburgh, only one hundred miles from our town. I was wearing my best tight pants and a white tee shirt that was a little too tight, but Chase told me I look sexy in it, so I wore it.

We pulled into the parking lot and I could hear the dirt being crushed by the tired of the car. I stepped out, Chase said he'd be right back than left. It was a cute little ranch, and there were flags outside. One was an American flag, one was a flag with a rainbow on it (wasn't quite sure what that stood for), and the other was a flag with a horse on it, which I assume was an association for ranches that owned horses. Oh the whole, the ranch was absolutely beautiful. The grass was green, the hay was that straw color, and the sound of the horses was exciting; it was something I've never experienced before.

"We've got two horses for the day, and I picnic basket. We're going freestyle and bareback," my eyes widened and I looked at him. "Oh, GOD, not _that_ kind of bareback; get your mind out of the gutter. It means we're not on a closed course and we're riding without a saddle on the horses back, silly."

I smiled, "I knew that."

"Sure you did, c'mon, lets meet our horses." He took my hand and led me to the stables where they cared for the horses.

When we got there, a small but muscular man with tight jeans and a shirt that had to be a small and a skin head greeted us with a bright smile.

"Well, howdy boys," he dragged out his "s," he was a little feminine to be on a horse ranch, I thought. "And how can I help you two handsome fellows?"

"We just need to pick up our horses," Chase said with a smile, and gave him two tickets.

"Well alrighty than, follow me." He led us to the other end of the stables. My horse was magnificent. Bella was her name. She was a beautiful shiny brown color with a dark brown mane. "Y'ever been on a horse before," he asked us. Chase nodded, I shook my head. "Well it's not that difficult. Grab onto these straps, get a good jump and gracefully pull yourself on. Chest first; straddle her back, than sit up," he instructed me. It was a lot easier than I thought. I did exactly what he told me to do, and I got up on her back with ease. The only hard part was actually sitting on her back with her boney spine on my crotch. That hurt; especially when we started moving. I grabbed the reins and we started to move out toward the open field. I kind of got used to the bumping when we were a little into it, but it still hurt. I thought that by the time I got back to school, I'd be singing soprano.

After about fifteen minutes of riding, we reached our destination; an open green field. Not a hint of dead grass anywhere. It was Mother Nature's way of saying "See, I can be beautiful, too." And, off in the distance I could see those flags again, the one with the horse on it, the rainbow flag (which I still had no idea what it meant), and the American flag. I guess, that meant those flags where the end of the property.

"No one really comes up here," Chase said dismounting Rocket, his horse. "It's really quiet up here, and if you listen hard enough, you can hear the wind talking to you. It's really peaceful." I dismounted Bella.

"It better be peaceful at the expense of ball pain," I grabbed my crotch. Chase started to laugh.

"Yeah, that takes a while to get used to." He began to set up the picnic in the open field. The grass was so green and fresh, it felt like a cushion underneath me. Once the red and white plaid blanket was set in place with the ground stakes in to keep it from flying away, Chase set the food basket down and opened it. He pulled out some lunch meat sandwiches, some potato chips, and some soft drinks which he recommended that I wait a little bit to open because they were on the back of the Rocket and Rocket had a little bounce to him as he walked. After waiting a little while we chowed down on the lunch that he prepared. I know this stuff is store bought, but it was the best tasting sandwich I had ever tasted, probably because the bread was honey oat, and I like that combo.

We mostly talked about being in the out doors and his experiences at summer camps and how his family found out about this place up here; drove by and saw the advertisement; nothing spectacular. With the blanket on top of the already cushiony grass it felt like I was back on Chases bed, sleeping.

When we were done with lunch, it was about one in the afternoon and we had a whole day ahead of us.

"We'll eat dinner up here, they have the best western food at the place," Chase informed me. I smiled and nodded. He put the basket off to the side and lay next to me, putting my arm around his shoulder and his head on my chest. "Hold me," he said. I was nervous that someone was going to see us.

So I voiced my opinion, "Chase, someone might see us."

"So?"

"Well don't you think that might be bad for our health? Say the person who sees us doesn't like homos and they decide to gay bash us?"

He looked at me like I had five million heads and nineteen assholes all at the same time, "I seriously doubt that will be a problem at this ranch."

"Oh really," I said getting irritated as his delivery, "and why is that, smart ass?"

"Dude," he began, "this is a gay ranch." Now it was my turn to look at him oddly.

"What?" He pointed to the rainbow flag. "Yeah, so," I said.

"You do know what that flag stands for, right?" I shook my head, than he shook his, "That's a gay pride flag. This whole ranch is gay. Ninety percent of the employees here are gay, lesbian, or transgender." My eyes widened. I'd heard of a bull ranch, or a horse ranch, but I'd never heard of a gay ranch. "They are a gay friendly business."

"Wow," was all I could muster up. "That's interesting."

"Oh my dear," he said petting my hair and chuckling, "So many things to teach you, I have."

"Okay, thanks Yoda," I said and we both laughed. He put his head back on my chest and listened to my heartbeat. I could smell his hair and it smelled like cucumber melon again, damn that Herbal Essences. "Still beating," I asked.

"Yeah," he had a sound of melancholy happiness in his voice, like he was relaxed. "How's your, uh, jelly beans doing," he asked and I knew exactly what he was talking about.

"The pain is going away, but it's still kind of there."

"Oh, my poor baby." He looked up at me and kissed me passionately, his tongue was so warm. Next I felt his warm hand slide underneath my shirt and caress my chest. His fingertips ran over my nipples gently as he continued to kiss me. He shifted his hand from my chest to my stomach as I reached under his shirt and pulled it off. I had a feeling in my stomach like butterflies on acid. Slowly his hand began to slide down the crease where my abdominal muscles met; the feeling was electric, to the lining of my jeans. I let out a slight moan as his hand went under my jeans and boxer briefs to "the region."

I couldn't believe what was happening…

Chase 

Ryan was adorable. The look on his face as I was kissing him was priceless, he did taste really good. I couldn't believe I had this hot, young boy holding me and letting me kiss him. The situation almost seemed too good to be true. The sky was blue, the clouds were fluffy, the grass was a true green, nearly as green as Ryan's eyes.

He was absolutely beautiful. Five foot six inches, medium length brown hair, true green eyes, and small pink lips. Underneath the clothes, he had amazing chest muscles that were very well defined. His stomach was ripples of abdominal muscles, and when he flexed my mouth watered, not that he flexed to flex, just like when he was sitting up. But that wasn't the least of it, when I slid my hand beneath his belt line the little patch of hair the surrounded his penis was too much to handle… so I went for it. It was only a light patch; a little dusting of hair that was so elegant, so peaceful in its own, pubic way. He moaned as I groped him.

I switched my position and got on top of him and began to lay passionate kisses on his rippled stomach as I unbuttoned his jeans and slid them off. Underneath the jeans was the jackpot; or the jack-package (I think is more appropriate). It was huge; seven inches, uncircumcised, and standing at perfect attention, it was absolutely beautiful. I ran my hand over it and Ryan let out a light moan.

With that, I took him into my mouth. It was so big, I could barely fit him. It was so smooth, and the extra skin coving his head just made it so much better, so this is what it's like to suck an uncut penis. It was my first.

_Ryan_

It was wet and slippery, but damn, did it feel good. As his head slowly bobbed up and down, the feeling kept getting better and better. I wasn't sure how he was going to feel about my foreskin, not many guys have it. But he seemed to be enjoying himself. His head kept going up and down, the sensation increased. This was nothing like jerking off. Yeah, the sensation was great when I jerked off, but this was one hundred times better. I felt I was ready to erupt and I stopped him.

"Did I hurt you," he said, looking concerned.

"No," I said, "I was about ready to; ya know. And I want this to last." He looked at me and reached into his bag that he brought with him. He rummaged around a little. He came back and had a condom package between his teeth and a smile on his face. "Oh, I don't know…" I started.

"We don't have to if you don't want to. I'm just offering as an option. I want your first time to be special for you, and if it's not with me, so be it." He was so sweet, I started to get butterflies in my stomach, but I wasn't nervous. I took a few minutes to think about what was about to transpire. I looked around to make sure no one was around. I looked into his eyes, pulled him into me, kissed him.

"I'm ready," I whispered into his ear. He looked at me.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Alright." With that, I began to kiss him, passionately, and reached for his button. I unbuttoned his pants and unzipped them. He proceeded to take them off; I took his dick in my hand and felt it out a little; just to get a feel for what I was up against (no pun intended). He was at least six and a half to seven inches, circumcised, and absolutely no hair; anywhere. I guess he shaved down there.

Chase ripped the condom package with his teeth and looked into my eyes with his true blue eyes, "Want to put it on me?"

"Sure." So I took the condom from his hand, it was rubbery and a little wet. I positioned it over his head and rolled it down slowly, he moaned as I did so. He reached back into his bag and pulled out a tube of KY.

"It's going to hurt," he said.

"I know," I replied.

"Push out as I'm going in."

"Okay." I felt something cold on my ass. It was his finger lubing me up and poking around down there. He lubed his dick up and I felt it glide across my hole.

"Ready," he asked, he was being so good about this.

"Yeah," and I took a deep breathe and he slid it inside me. The pain was almost too unbearable, but not in a bad way. As sadistic as this is going to sound, the pain was actually pleasurable. He asked me if I was okay, and I told him yes. He slid in a little more. Again he asked if I was alright, and I told him yes. He slid it in all the way, so that his entire length was inside of me. This was by far the best feeling I've never felt in my life. Feeling another person inside of me was absolutely wonder. I felt a certain connection to him that was indescribable.

"You okay," he asked.

"Perfect," I said, "Keep going." So he did.

He began to pump his muscular hips back and forth against me. I felt his length pull out and than fill me again. I moaned louder and louder with each pump. He kissed me, sliding his warm tongue in and out of my mouth. My legs were up in the air and he was between them, sliding in and out of me, and all I could think was _Oh my God, I have to be the luckiest boy alive right now_.

He pulled out, "Turn over," he told me. I obliged. I turned over onto hands and knees. "No, no," he said, "go on your stomach." I did so. He kissed my back a little than began to slide into me again. I moaned even louder than before. Again I could feel his dick pull back and fill me. Than he got faster, out breathing labored, and I began to sweat. He was lying on top of me and his hips rose up and down against mine. I began to feel wetness underneath me, and I thought, _There's no way I could have wet myself_. As he was fucking my ass, I shoved my hand underneath me and felt a warm stickiness around my stomach and penis; it was come! I hadn't even touched myself, and I came. I didn't even feel myself ejaculate, but I did.

He continued to fuck me harder and harder and I reached behind me, screaming pleasure and grabbing his muscular ass. He let out a huge moan and I could feel his dick pulse inside me. He had cum inside me, in the condom. His pulsing dick felt so good inside of me. He collapsed on top of me; we just lie there for a few minutes.

"You're alright, Baby Boy," he asked.

I looked him straight in the eyes with a smile from ear to ear, "Never better, Beautiful."

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	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

Sunday morning I woke up with Chase's arm around me in his bed. His body was warm and comforting. I had someone that enjoyed my company as much as I enjoyed his. I just lay there for a few minutes, taking in every minute that I had with him. I began to get those butterflies in my stomach again, but I wasn't nervous, at all. What was going on?

"Morning," he said as he rubbed my side.

"Morning beautiful," I replied.

"How'd you sleep?" He was so cute in the morning.

"Like never before." His hair was all roughed up and he had the morning look on his face, I leaned in to kiss his, he pulled away.

"No," he said, "I have morning breathe."

"Oh, I don't care about that." And I really didn't, all I cared about was that he was going to kiss me, so he did. Yeah the taste wasn't the best, but who cared. Chase Anderson was kissing me.

Sunday was mostly a restful day; we just laid around and did nothing in particular; except a few bed fights, if you catch my drift. For the most part it was movies and cartoons.

Monday morning rolled around and I woke up next to him again cause he was going to drive me to school. It was about six thirty in the morning and I knew we had to be in by eight, so I left him in the bed and hopped in the shower. The warm water felt good on my skin. I got out about twenty minutes later, and went back to the room. He was sitting up in bed trying to wake up. I slid behind him and hugged him around his back.

"Morning, sleepy head," I whispered into his ear. He rubbed my arm that was around him.

"Morning," he had that look of sleep in his eyes again, adorable. "You found everything in the shower okay?"

"Yeah, I've been showering here for four days now," I said, sarcastically.

"Fuck you," he said, and he kissed me.

"You have."

After he took a shower and we got our things together, we set out for school.

"Someone had a good weekend," Tina said as I walked into math. I guess I was glowing.

"Yeah, for the most part," I said.

"Well, what happened?"

"Well, you know about Chase Anderson, right?" I gave her a knowing look, because I knew, she knew what I was talking about.

"Yeah, I do, why?"

"Well," I began, "me too." She had a surprised look on her face.

"Oh, wow, I had no idea."

"Yeah, I know, and my parents don't either; I'd like to keep it that way for now, if you don't mind." She nodded.

"So, go on," she told me, "tell me the rest." So I told her the entire story from the beginning in that detention class all the way to…

"And than we made love, in the grass, in the open, on the ranch." Her mouth dropped to the floor so far, I thought bats were going to fly out. "And Tina," I continued, "it was the best thing I've ever felt in my entire life."

"Mr. Richards," said Mr. Whitman, our math teacher, "would you like to join the rest of the class now?"

"Sorry, Mr. Whitman," Tina and I said in unison. Class was interesting today, the quadratic formula to figure out the roots of a quadratic equation set equal to zero; and then I drifted off. I day dreamed about Chase and the entire weekend. How perfect everything was, it was almost too good to be true. I recalled every single scent from the smell of the grass to the smell of the KY jelly. I recapped every single feeling I had, from feeling secure in his embrace to the feeling of him breaking my innocents in the open field. My concentration on my daydream was broken when I felt the sting of eyes on the back of my head, and I looked around. Marc Walden, a school soccer jock, did a quick turn around when I caught him staring at me. I didn't know why he was staring at me, so I didn't think twice about. I went back to my daydream.

Every sight was brought back to mind from the way Chase looked at me as he was pounding away at me, to the look on his face when he woke up in the morning. Again my concentration was broken by the sting of eyes on me. I snapped around and there was Marc, staring right at me. When he noticed me looking back at him, he snapped back to looking at the board.

"Ryan," I heard. My head snapped around. Mr. Whitman was talking to me.

"Sorry, sir," I said with a questioning undertone. He had a disgusted look on his face.

"I asked why there's a positive or negative sign in front of the square root in the numerator. Would you like to answer my question any time soon?"

"Uh," I was so unprepared to answer this question, "Because when square roots are solved they become absolute values. Absolute value roots can either be positive or negative."

"Very good," Whitman said, "now please keep your focus here." I nodded but it was easier said than done with everything that was going on. The bell rang.

I walked out of class to go to my locker and Tina followed me. Her locker was at the other end of the sophomore hallway, but she already had her books for her next class.

"Alright babe," she said, she always called me that, "I'm off to class."

"Okay," I replied, "I'll see you later." We gave each other a kiss on the cheek. Again the feeling of eyes on me was there. I looked around and Marc was power walking his way over to me with a not so pleasant look on his face.

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	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

I managed to avoid Marc, don't ask me how, but I did it. I power walked my way to my next class which wasn't far, but seemed miles away. Anything seems miles away when you have this six foot one hunk of muscle powering his way toward you with a demon look on his face. I strolled into class two minutes late, and sat in my assigned desk. I watched out the door and saw Marc walk by and look at me as he passed by. He had a mean look on his face.

After school was over, Tina met me by my locker; she had a smile from ear to ear on her face.

"Well, someone's happy," I said smile back at her; "Did _you_ get a blow job or something?"

"No," she said, "better."

"What can be better than a blow job short of actually sex?"

"Chase just poured his entire heart out to me. He's really, like, in love with you."

"Wow," was all I could muster up. I liked Chase; I liked him a lot, but love, that's a strong emotion. I may not have been in any relationships with anyone, male or female, but I sure knew what love meant, though I didn't know what it felt like. To say I was in love with him was a bit of a stretch. "Did he say that?"

"In so many words," Tina replied. Just than I noticed Chase coming down the hallway with a smile, everyone was so happy today. I loved the way he walked, he had such a masculine walk; tall, proud, like he was happy with who he was.

"Hey, Tina," he said. He looked at me, "Hey you." I looked into his eyes.

"Hey _you_," I replied and he winked at me.

"I have practice tonight, you wanna stick around?"

"Sure," I thought, "Oh, shit, I can't, I have to type that report tonight."

"Playing hard to get are ya," he winked at me, slapped my ass, and ran off to practice.

"Well, that was fun," Tina said looking at Chase as he ran off, his calf muscles flexing. "Too bad he's gay, I'd totally tap that."

"Been there, done that," I said with a sarcastic look on my face. She punched my arm.

"Douche bag."

"No thanks, I don't like pussy."

"Well, to bad," she said, "cause I do you, too." I caught Marc staring at me across the hallway, leaning up against his locker.

"Ugh, why does he look at me like that?"

"Who?"

"Marc Walden," I said, "He's been staring at me all fucking day."

"Maybe he wants your sexy body."

"Ewe, god, never in a million years. Even if I was single, I wouldn't."

"Ha!" She was laughing at me, "Don't worry about it, I'm the only one who knows about you and Chase so, he can't want you for that."

"Yeah, you're right," I said. My mind went at ease.

I went up to the school library to do some last minute research for my paper. It was quite, as usual; a few coughs or sniffles here and there. I picked out a few books to look through and sat down on the single couch with notebook and pen in hand.

I opened the book and scanned though it really quick just to see if I could rule it helpful to my thesis or not. It looked worthy so I looked through the table of contents to see where the section was that would be most helpful, "_Arts and Literature...462_." Good enough for me. I eye balled the section and flipped through that pages, it was a lot to read. So I went to it. As I read I jotted little notes down, when suddenly, that stinging feeling came back. With fear that Marc was following me, I looked around for him, more specifically, for him staring at me. But it wasn't _him_ that was staring at me, it was Bryan Michelson. Yet, another jock to add to my list of kids that want me. When he saw I caught him he jerked his back to his book.

Walking home, I cut through the football field. Chase didn't practice here; he practiced on the other side of the school where the practice field was. Hence the reason he practiced there. Walking through the field, I was thinking about Chase and the paper that I had to write that evening. Not to mention I had to tell my mother about me, and Chase, although I thought I would wait a little while to tell her about Chase. The grass was nothing like the grass at the ranch, that grass was light and springy, like walking on a mattress.

Thoughts of her reaction clouded my mind. Will she disown me? Will she beat me? Better yet, what about my father? He'll kill me for sure.

_Marc_

I followed Ryan out to the football field and kept an eye on him. I couldn't believe was Chase had told me today. Chase, who I had known for years upon years and a day, was gayer than Richard Simons. And the worst of it all was I had absolutely no idea all this time.

But, whatever it's cool. He was my mate, and that's what mattered. He was more than just a friend to me, he was a brother. He was someone I could go to for help and advice at any time. And than to find out that Ryan was his boyfriend was a shock, too. All of this was going through my mind, when I saw him come out of the shadows. But I was too late.

"RYAN!" I yelled, and than I heard that loud crack of a baseball bat breaking hard skull.

25


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

_Chase_

Marc called me around six at night, and his news what nothing but unpleasant. I couldn't believe what I heard him say. Ryan, the only boy I'd ever loved, bashed over the head with a Louisville Slugger. And worst of all, it was done by the village idiot, Bryan Michelson. Oh the utter contempt I had for that little asshole. On the ride over to the hospital I had visions of doing to Bryan what he'd done to my baby boy.

When I got the call, I jumped in my car and ran to my house. Thank god my mother was home. I told her what Marc told me and she said, "Get in the car, you're not driving up there." I totally agreed; it was bad enough one of us was in the hospital. Sitting in the car, on I-80, going to the hospital, so many things were going through my mind, what if I loose him, what exactly happened, what drives someone to take life into their own hand, i.e. Bryan? I began to cry.

We pulled up in front of the hospital and parked. Before my mother even turned off the car I was out and at the front door.

"Ryan Richards," I told they guard at the front desk. She wrote out visitor passes quickly, she could see the worry on my face.

"Take this elevator down one floor, make a left and emergency is right there. Please turn off your cellular phones in the emergency room," she said. My mother and I nodded and turned off our phones. On the way down to emergency my heart started to race, I wasn't sure if I was ready to see him. I didn't know what he looked like, or how bad the wounds were. We got out of the elevator, made a left and there the front desk of the emergency room was.

"How can I help you," the lady asked, her name tag said Carmella.

"I'm looking for Ryan Richards," tears ran down my face.

"Hold on one moment." A voice came from the waiting room.

"Are you looking for Ryan," the lady asked. I nodded. "I'll take you to him. I'm his mother, Stacey." I took her hand and shook it.

"Nice to meet you," I said. I couldn't believe this woman was Ryan's mother. She was beautiful. It was obvious to see where Ryan's good looks came from. She was average height, but long legs, very in shape.

"How do you know Ryan," she asked.

"I'm his, boy-b-b- best friend," I nearly choked.

"Oh, that's nice. That boy Marc called the ambulance."

"Marc is another of my best friends," I replied, "I've known him for years."

"How lovely." One could clearly see she'd been crying the whole time. "Follow me." And with that she led us into the emergency room. My heart beat faster and I began to get cotton mouth. My fingers started to go numb. "They've stopped most of the bleeding, they say he's going to be okay." It wasn't reassuring. We rounded a corner, and there he was.

"OH MY GOD!" I exclaimed, and my knees gave out, I began to cry. Adrenaline must have pushed me forward, because I ran over to his bed and hugged his near lifeless body. It was horrible, aside from being covered in his own blood, and I do mean covered, he was hooked up to pulse machines, and blood pressure machines, and oxygen. I cried uncontrollably, still hovered over his body, wondering if he even knew I was there. I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"It's okay," it was my mother, she was rubbing my back. I got up and went over to Mrs. Richards.

"I'm sorry," I said with bulging red eyes.

"It's okay."

"So, what now?"

"Now," Stacey began, "He's waiting to go into surgery." So we had to wait. About an hour later, they took him away for his surgery. The doctor said he wasn't sure how long the surgery was going to take, but he'd keep us posted. I was shaking, I was so nervous. The three of us sat in the waiting room, my self at the far end, and my mother and Stacey sitting next to each other, talking. I saw my brother storm into the waiting room. I waved to him and he ran over to me.

"Hey," he said, he had compassion in his voice, "I got your message; are you okay?"

"No," I replied, tears swelled in my eyes.

"What's going on?"

"He's in surgery right now, we're just waiting. That's his mother over there." I pointed to Stacey. He walked over to her said hello and told her how sorry he was about what happened. He began talking to my mother and Stacey walked over to me and sat next to me.

"It was really nice of you to come," she said.

"He means a lot to me," I replied, tears still in my eyes.

A few seconds passed of silence when, "You're his boyfriend, aren't you?" The question took me by total surprise; it was something I wasn't expecting to hear at all.

"Uh, um," I was stumbling over my words; I didn't know what to say, so I just said, "Yes."

"I thought so."

"How did you know? Ryan said he never even told you he's gay."

"I'm his mother, I just know," she said with a smile on her face, which was relieving to see, "I also found some notebook and notes with your name on it. So when you came in and said your name, I knew who you were to him right away."

The look of shame came over my face, "Oh."

"It's okay," Stacey began, "my cousin is gay. He and his boyfriend have been together for fifteen years. He's a great guy, and Ryan knows that. I wish he would have told me."

"If I may, Mrs. Richards."

"Oh Stacey, please."

"Stacey," I corrected myself, "my mother knows about me, she's known for a long time, I came out to her when I was twelve. It's one thing to tell a family member that you don't have to live with on a daily basis. But when it's your mother, or your father that you're telling, it's a completely different story. We have to live with you guy's day in and day out until we move out."

"I guess I can understand that." Just then the doctor came out and she sprung up. "How is he?"

"He's doing okay," the doctor said, "he's going to be sleeping for a little while, a few days at most. But we need to discuss extensive surgery options, your son needs quite a bit of plastic surgery." She nodded.

"Can we go see him," she asked, her eyes were filled with tears. I wanted to just stand there and hug her. I could never imagine nearly loosing a child to the baseball bat of some asshole who thought he could play God.

"Yes, they're bringing him up to the room. You can follow my nurse." He called for the nurse to lead us up to the room. She was heavy set, but pleasant, which was a god send compared to the day all of us were having. She took us through some hallways up an elevator than through a few more hallways to his room. He was clean on the bed, as opposed to the red hue he had all over him downstairs in emergency. His head was laced with bandages with a nice red spot in the middle where the stitches bled a little. He looked so helpless in his hospital gown under the thin covers of the bed. The mattress looked like it wasn't all that comfy either, but otherwise the room was pleasant. Single bed, big enough for two (which I quickly took notice of), and a nice show of the sun throw the windows. We sat around the bed and just bull shit about this and that, and that and this. Stacey was asking me about school, and where I plan to go after high school. I told her I was looking at a local college, Mount Hughes University, for psychology. She seemed to approve of my direction. Her and my mother got along very well, which was also nice to see. It came time for everyone to leave and Stacey said she'd be going home, too. She had to be at work in the morning, though it was going to be difficult.

"I'd like to stay," I said. Everyone looked at me.

"No, I can't ask you to do that," Stacey said to me, "What about school?"

"I have my laptop," I said, "I can get my work from there." She looked at my mother.

"It's fine by me," my mother said, "as long as you promise to keep up with your school work."

"I promise." Stacey took a deep breathe.

"Okay than, I'll let them know." We all bid each other goodbye, I said goodbye to my mother and brother, who said he'd bring my laptop up to me and some clothes to change. I thanked him, gave him a big hug, and they all left.

Here I was; looking at the most beautiful gift the lord could have given me, who was nearly taken from me. I began to feel butterflies in my stomach, like I was nervous about something; only I had nothing to be nervous about. The doctors said he was going to be fine and that he should wake up soon. Even with a beaten in skull, he was beautiful.

I sat there in the chair watching the television, wondering what was going on in his mind as my little angel slept. Flashes of what could have possibly transpired in my mind. I thought about what I would do to Bryan if I ever saw him anywhere else besides behind bars being called "sweetheart" by some big buff bear of a guy named Biff.

Hours went by. Seemed like an eternity. It was nearly seven o'clock when suddenly…

"Hey dude!" Dave burst through the door.

"You could have knocked, you know," I said.

"Yeah, I could have, but that wouldn't be as fun, now would it?"

"I guess not. Did you bring the stuff?"

"Yup, got it right here; change of clothes, socks, undies, shirts, pants, your laptop, your book bag; did I forget anything?"

"My toothpaste and tooth brush?"

"Right here," and he pulled them out of his back pocket.

"Great, right by your ass." He chuckled. We talked for a little while longer, mostly about school and Ryan, and Bryan, and Marc, shit like that. He left at eight o'clock when visiting time was over. I sat there, in the chair next to Ryan's bed, for hours upon hours hoping he would wake up. I was afraid to fall asleep; I wanted to be the first thing he saw when he woke up; it was important to me. But I must have fallen asleep because before I knew it…

4


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

_Ryan_

"Chase," I said trying to wake him up from his deep slumber. He was so peaceful, I almost didn't want to wake him up. But I knew I had to. He'd be pretty upset if I didn't. I fidgeted in the bed and shimmied over as far as I could so that I could rouse him a little because he just wasn't hearing me. "Chase," I called, a little louder this time; nothing. Finally I couldn't take it anymore.

"Chase," I screamed. He jumped in his seat.

"Wh-wh-wh-what?!"

"Wake up silly," I suggested.

"Oh my fucking God, you're awake," he exclaimed.

"Yes, I am. How long was I out for?"

"Too long."

"Seriously, Chase."

"About a week."

"Damn," I said, realizing just then that I had a really bad headache, "my head is killing me."

"Aw," he said, "my poor baby. Oh, I almost forgot, guess who stopped by."

I was scared to think who it might be. Different people were going through my head, I knew my parents came to see me, I remember hearing their voices in the emergency room. I knew Chase was there, and I knew his mother and his brother came, I heard them, too. Who else could there be? "I don't know, who?"

"Brian," he said.

"Oh, really," I replied with a smile on my face.

"Babe," Chase began in a very concerned but loving tone, "he's the reason you are in this hospital." My heart dropped. I couldn't understand it.

"What do you mean 'He's the reason I'm here,'" I said in utter shock.

"As in, he's the one who bashed you over the head with a Louisville Slugger." I tried so hard to remember what happened a week ago, but I couldn't. Everything in the past week had become a complete blur to me. Not even a blur, it just wasn't there at all. I couldn't even say I sort of remember it… it was all black.

"I don't even remember what happened to me," I said, "what the hell happened? And why the fuck is my head hurting so much?" I started to get dizzy, so I had to lie back down. Chase began explaining the events that transpired over a week ago, from beginning to end. With each new detail that he delivered, I grew more and more angry, and surprisingly more and more tired. Finally somewhere around Marc coming up to me with the Slugger, "Stop," I said, "I can't take anymore of this. I'm too tired already, and I can't afford to be any angrier about this."

"Well," he said, "why don't you just take a nap, than." He didn't have to tell me twice. Before I knew it I was out like a light.

I woke up the next morning, alone; there was no one else in the room with me. _Did Chase finally go home_, I thought. I wanted him to go home, if, for no other reason, just to get some real rest. Not to mention he was missing school for me; which I was about to slap him for anyway. A knock on the door, "Who is it?" The heavy wooden hospital door opened slowly to reveal a tall, muscular, six foot, two inch guy, the one, the only, Brian Michelson. I couldn't believe my God given eyes. He had a lot of balls showing up a first time, much less a second time. "What the hell do you want," I said to him, cold as I could.

"I, uh," he began, stumbling for the right word to say to the life he nearly ended, "I wanted to come and see how you were doing."

"As if you really care," I said to the bastard.

"Actually," he said, "I do." I scoffed. He continued, "I didn't realize what I did until I saw you in the stretcher, you're head was full of…"

I cut him off, "Spare me the detail, Brian, I get the picture."

"Well, anyway, it wasn't until I saw you lying there that I realized what I did. Can you just allow me a few minutes to explain myself, please," he was pleading with me, his eyes watering up. I tried to determine whether the tears were genuine or fake.

"Please," I said to him, "I'd love to hear this."

He began, "I'm a very religious person, catholic, and I don't know if you know anything about the catholic religion, but we don't exactly deal with gays lightly. All I've ever known is that homosexuality is bad, it's against the bible. I grew up hating fags, because that's what my mother and my father taught me. 'Fags are against God, and they'll do anything to win your soul,' they'd say to me.

"When I got wind of you and Chase, I freaked because you and I have Phys. Ed. Together and all I could think about was you looking at me and getting all hard and shit thinking about what we would do together alone in a bed."

"Don't flatter yourself," I said to him.

"That may be as that may be," he said, "but I still thought it. I flipped and everything that I had ever learned came into play. By the end of the day I was so enraged thinking about it, I wasn't even thinking anymore. All I had in my head was that you went against the good Lord, and you needed to pay for that. So I hit you."

I rubbed my head with the bandages still on it, "Yeah, I know."

Finally he really started to cry, "And like I said, I didn't realized what I had done until after I did it. When I saw you on the stretcher, I thought to myself, who am I to take the life of another human being. It's against the commandments to kill, not to be a fa-… homosexual. After the cops took a statement from me, and I apologized up and down, I immediately went to my parish, into confession and confessed for what I did. The next day I skipped school and came here to see you. Chase wasn't exactly happy to see me, so I said that I would be brief. I explained myself to him, too, and he said he was glad that I realized what I did, but it doesn't excuse what I had done. I said that I wasn't looking to be excused for what I had done, I was just looking to explain myself."

"I looked at him a good long moment, pondered what just happened, and finally said the unthinkable…


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

"So, let me get this straight; you want just assault in exchange for a guilty plea, when this is clearly a hate crime," Jerry Anto, Esquire, said to the defense attorney, Trisha Jonson, with a look of shock on his face that she would even make such an outrageous plea bargain.

"C'mon, Jerry," she explained, "he's only seventeen years old."

"I really don't care, Trish. This boy knew that beating someone over the head with a baseball bat was wrong, gay, straight, green, or otherwise."

"Than we'll say he was influenced by his religious background and upbringing, neither of which in my opinion and, probably in the opinion of the jury will both be unstable," she defended. Trisha Jonson was not a force to be reckoned with. Five years in Harvard prestige law school, earning a master's in criminal justice and civil defense; this woman of only twenty seven knew the law like the back of her hand.

"Mr. and Mrs. Richards," Jerry said, "this young lady is insulting my intelligence. I think we had better leave."

"Fine Jerry," Trisha began, "but when the jury sees Brian's life evidence," a term she used often in her Civil Law Suits, usually referring to how the defendant was raised and/or their religious beliefs, "they'll most defiantly think otherwise."

"Whether he was raised in a convent or a Buddhist monastery, that doesn't make assault with intention of murder legally or morally right, Trish; everyone knows that," Mr. Anto struck back, "I find it very amusing, Trish, that you would insult my intelligence in that fashion. No deal. We'll see you in court." And with that he was out the door along with Mr. and Mrs. Richards.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

_Ryan_

"Really," Brain asked me, he was in total shock. Quite frankly, I couldn't believe what I said either. "I mean, you're not just pulling my leg?"

"No, Brian, I'm not pulling your leg," I replied, "You're forgiven."

"But, I don't understand why? I practically ruined your life. As it is you'll never have full function of your right hand again! How can you forgive someone like me?"

"Like this, 'Brian, I forgive you.'"

"Ha ha, very funny," he said. I'm still not quite sure what it was, but something inside of me just couldn't stay mad at him. Yeah, I still don't have full use of my right hand (good thing I jerk off with the left), but I do have some use of it. I can use it for short periods of time then it starts to get tired.

"You defiantly have a bigger heart than I do," he said, "I don't think I could forgive me; ever."

"Life's too short to hold a grudge," I said, "besides; it's only my hand; if it were my legs than we'd have an issue. It's nothing physical therapy can't fix."

"How are you doing with that, by the way," he asked.

"Eh," I began, "Okay. It's seen better days. The physical therapy is really helping and it helps that my physical therapist is really cute."

"Dude," he said, "I may be sorry, but comfortable with it, I still am not."

"Sorry," I replied.

"It's cool. Well, I have to be going."

"Yeah, I'm tired anyway. I guess I'll see you around."

"In court probably; oh, they don't know I'm here because I'm really not allowed to be around you, so can we keep this on the D.L.?"

"Sure," I said, "You don't need to be in any more trouble than you're already in."

"Agreed." And with that he was out the door and gone.

About an hour later, Chase came running into my room. "Ryan," he exclaimed.

"What," I said, "What?"

"Brian might be charged with a hate crime with intent to kill," he told me, he was out of breath, and sweating; incredibly hot, I might add.

"That's good," I finally added, and I couldn't believe it myself, but I actually felt kind of sorry for the kid. After having that conversation with him; well, not really a conversation, but you get the picture; I understood where the source of the rage came from.

"Well," he said in shock, "aren't you happy?" I should have been, I knew it. But something inside of me said, _this kid needs help, not jail_.

"Yeah, of course I am," I said sheepishly.

"Well, gee," he fired back at me sarcastically, "try to be a little less excited that your near killer is going to be put behind bars, probably for the rest of his God given life."

Finally, I couldn't hold it back any more. He had to know why I wasn't really that excited. "Chase," I said, "he was here."

"Again," he yelled, "I told that asshole to never, _never_ show his face here again. Oh, is he in for it now."

I blurted out in Brian's defense, "He apologized for everything. The boy was in tears, Chase, literally in tears."

"What did he say," Chase asked. So I told him everything that had happened, from beginning to end. Everything about Brian's religious upbringing, and his mother and father, and how they sounded more like Mormons than Catholics. But, be that as it may be, I told the story exactly as it had played out in my hospital room.

"But now," I said, "I need to go to sleep. I'm really, really tired." So I lay down in the bed, and Chase lay next to me. Before I knew it we were both asleep.


End file.
